2012 VP113
On the 5th of November 2012, astronomers Scott Sheppard and Chad Trujillo spotted a faint point of light through NOAO's 4-meter Víctor M. Blanco Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. This object had been observed earlier but went unreported until that date. Before public announcement, only two observatories tracked it: Cerro Tololo with 807 observations and Las Campanas with 304 observations. The Magellan telescope at Las Campanas Observatory helped determine its orbit and surface properties. Data from September 2007 showed previous sightings that were never reported to the scientific community.
Scott Sheppard and Chad Trujillo gave the object the nickname "Biden" based on its provisional designation VP. In 2012, Joe Biden served as Vice President of the United States, making the abbreviation VP a fitting reference for their discovery. The team announced this informal name alongside the formal designation when they revealed the find to the public on the 26th of March 2014. No other astronomical body carries such a political moniker within official catalogs. The naming convention reflects how astronomers sometimes use temporary labels before assigning permanent numbers.
Measurements show an absolute magnitude of 4.0 for 2012 VP113, suggesting potential dwarf planet status if size thresholds are met. Scientists estimate a diameter around 500 kilometers assuming moderate geometric albedo typical of trans-Neptunian objects. If albedo ranges vary widely, possible diameters span between 300 and 800 kilometers. Its surface displays moderately red coloring caused by radiation effects on frozen water, methane, and carbon dioxide over billions of years. This optical color matches formation in gas-giant regions rather than the ultra-red classical Kuiper belt environment. Hubble Space Telescope imaging planned for 2026 may reveal whether it possesses significantly sized moons.
The object maintains the farthest perihelion distance among all known minor planets at approximately 80 astronomical units from the Sun. This closest approach exceeds even that of Sedna while its aphelion reaches only half the distance of that earlier discovery. Its last perihelion passage occurred within months of September 1979 when no telescopes could detect such distant objects. Current orbital architecture shows arguments of perihelion clustered near 300 degrees alongside other extreme trans-Neptunian objects. These patterns suggest gravitational interactions shaping their paths through the outer solar system.
Astronomers classify 2012 VP113 as a sednoid because its orbit never approaches closer than 50 astronomical units to the Sun. Giant planets cannot noticeably influence this path due to the vast separation involved. It stands as the second discovered member of this specific dynamical class following 90377 Sedna. The semi-major axis extends beyond 150 astronomical units with perihelion exceeding Neptune's orbit boundary. All known bodies sharing these characteristics display similar argument of perihelion values indicating shared formation mechanisms or evolutionary histories.
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Common questions
Who discovered 2012 VP113 and when was it first spotted?
Astronomers Scott Sheppard and Chad Trujillo spotted 2012 VP113 on the 5th of November 2012. They observed the object through NOAO's 4-meter Víctor M. Blanco Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile.
Why is 2012 VP113 nicknamed Biden by astronomers?
Scott Sheppard and Chad Trujillo named 2012 VP113 Biden because its provisional designation VP matched Joe Biden's role as Vice President of the United States in 2012. The team announced this informal name alongside the formal designation to the public on the 26th of March 2014.
What are the physical dimensions and surface properties of 2012 VP113?
Scientists estimate a diameter for 2012 VP113 around 500 kilometers assuming moderate geometric albedo typical of trans-Neptunian objects. Its surface displays moderately red coloring caused by radiation effects on frozen water, methane, and carbon dioxide over billions of years.
How does the orbit of 2012 VP113 compare to other known minor planets?
The object maintains the farthest perihelion distance among all known minor planets at approximately 80 astronomical units from the Sun. This closest approach exceeds even that of Sedna while its aphelion reaches only half the distance of that earlier discovery.
When did 2012 VP113 last pass through its perihelion point?
2012 VP113 had its last perihelion passage within months of September 1979 when no telescopes could detect such distant objects. Current orbital architecture shows arguments of perihelion clustered near 300 degrees alongside other extreme trans-Neptunian objects.